Method and apparatus for removing wrinkles from film backing strips



May 12, 1964 A. VINCENT METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR REMOVING WRINKLES FROM FILM BACKING STRIPS Filed Aug. 21, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 ALFRED VINCENT INVENTOR.

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METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR REMOVING WRINKLES FROM FILM BACKING STRIPS Filed Aug. 21, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig.5

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ALFRED V/NCE/VT INVEN TOR.

A TTORNEYS than the film as is Well known.

United States Patent METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR REMOVING WRINKLES FROM FILM BACKING STRIPS Alfred Vincent, Rochester, N.Y., assignor to Eastman Kodak Company, Rochester, N.Y., a corporation of New Jersey Filed Aug. 21, 1961, S61. No. 132,687

16 Claims. (Cl. 95-905) This invention relates generally to photographic processing, and more specifically to'a processing device adapted among other things to process film, and to produce direct positive prints by a transfer process.

The preparation of direct positive prints by transfer processes such as solvent transfer, developer transfer, and color transfer are well known. The solvent transfer process described hereinafter in connection with a preferred embodiment of applicants processing device, although any of the other processes may be used in connection therewith, involves in general the development of an exposedsilver halide emulsion layer of a film to metallic silver in the usual way, and the transfer of the residual undeveloped silver halide from the unexposed areas by means of a silver halide solvent in the developer to a receiving sheet pressed in contact with the film. The receiving sheet bears development centers upon which the dissolved silver halide or silver halide complex is deposited as metallic silver by physical development, using the chemical energy from the conventional photographic developing agents to effect this physicaldevelopment. Various modifications have been described in which the steps were carried out separately or in combination, the prior art having been discussed in an article by Varden in Journal of the Photographic Society of America, volume 13, September 1947, page 551. I

More specifically, in the application of a transfer process of the type indicated, the film is normally secured to a backing paper which is wound on a reel to form a roll of backed film. Since the backing paper is on the outside in every convolution, it must necessarily be longer .One of the difliculties encountered in producing prints by,a transfer process where a hacked film roll is used is that there is a tendency for the longer backing paper in register with the film to wrinkle prior to the pressing of the film into intimate contact with a receiving paper on a wind-up roller. This wrinkling interferes with the production of a high quality print.

This invention relates to a processing device for producing direct positive prints by a transfer process that eliminates any wrinkling of the backing paper, and hence any defects in the prints resulting therefrom.

It is therefore a general object of the present invention to provide an improved processing device adapted among other things to process film and to produce direct positive prints by some suitable transfer process.

A more specific object of the present invention is to provide a processing device for producing prints by a transfer process that eliminates any wrinkling of the backing paper, and hence any defects in the prints resulting therefrom.

A further object of the invention is to provide a processing device for producing prints by a transfer process by by pulling an exposed light-sensitive film through a processing solution and winding it up on a roller in contact with a light-insensitive nucleated receiving sheet.

Another object of the invention is to provide a processing device in which the loading and processing operations may be carried on in daylight.

Another object of the invention is to provide a processing device that is of simple design and construction, thoroughly reliable and efficient in operation, and economical to manufacture.

Patented May 12, 1964 The above and other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following description when read in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a processing device constructed in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a transversevertical sectional view of the processing device of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the lower section of the processing device of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a bottom view of the cover of the upper section of the processing device of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view of the processing device of FIG. 1; 7

FIG. 6 is a transverse vertical sectional view of the upper section of the processing device of FIG. 1 inverted, and in a loading position; and

FIG. 7 is a vertical sectional view similar to FIG. 2 on a reduced scale and not entirely to scale showing the processing device with a backed film roll and a receiving paper in a loaded position for processing and printing.

With reference to the drawings, the processing device of this invention comprises upper and lower sections 11, 12 respectively as seen best in FIGS. 2, 3 and 5. The lower section 12 is a box-like member having substantially identical front and back panels 13, side panels 14 and a bottom 15 to form a processing solution chamber having a curved lower surface 16 as seen best in FIG. 2. The front and back panels 13 have grooved edges 17, and the side panels have grooves 18 along their upper ends, as seen best in FIGS. 2, 3 and 5, for slidably receiving the edges 19 and end lip 21 of side flanges 22 of upper section 11. The ends of the side flanges 22 are secured to a cover member 23, and to a bracket 24 by screws-or the like as seen in FIG. 5. vThe bracket 24 supports a film-roll holding device comprising spring members 25 secured to bracket 24 by a screw 26, as seen in FIGS. 2 and 5, and having spaced-apart leaf spring ends 27 between which a roll of backed or unbacked film 30, as seen in FIG. 6, is interposed on spindles 28 as is well known in the art. The film-roll may be of the. normal type having a strip of exposed light-sensitive film 30 centered on a backing paper with both ends of of the film taped to the backing paper, or it may cornprise a roll of unbacked film, such as 35 mm. film. In the specific application disclosed hereinafter, the film 30 is designed for the solvent transfer process and may be of thetype disclosed in US. Patents Nos. 2,740,717 and 2,882,151, although it should be understood that color film for producing color prints may be used in this proc essing device provided the appropriate film, receiving paper, processing solution and transfer process were used. As is well known, in any roll of backed film, the backing paper between the aforementioned taped portions is longer than the film 30 since the backing paper is on the outside of the film and hence of greater radius, and subsequently for every convolution of film, the length of the backing paper is greater than the corresponding length of film.

A leaf spring 29 is secured to bracket 24 and bears against the outer periphery of the backed or unbacked film 30 to subject the film to tension to insure proper winding of the film on a wind-up roller 43. The lower end of bracket 24 has an arcuately formed member 31 for guiding the film 30 in the proper path through the processing solution. The portion 31' of member 31, at which the film 30 is tangent as seen in FIG. 7, wipes or combs back the backing paper of a backed film smoothing out any wrinkles that might otherwise develop due to the longer backing paper, and the extra length of backing paper accumulates in a free loop L (seen dotted in FIG. 7) in a space S formed between a part of the periphery of member 31, apart of the surface of bracket 24, and the film 36. This free loop L will be'folded flat'against the backing paper as the attached trailing end of the film passes over portion 31'. The arcuate member 31 has two grooves 33, 34, as seen in FIG. 5, one adapted to receive and guide a film or backing paper of one width, and the other groove adapted to guide a film or backing paper of a different width. The groove widths and film sizes accommodated thereby are only illustrative, and clearly any other suitable Width and film sizes may be accommodated. Consequently, with this particularly designed processor, it is possible ,to process films of two different widths. The proper size roll holding device, or some suitable adjustable holder, would have to be used in the processor depending upon the size of the film being processed.

The upper end of cover 23 hasa guide groove 35, and grooves 36, 37 on the underside for receiving the ends of side panels 13 as seen in FIGS. 2 and 4. The groove 37 has portions 38, 39 thereof of increased radius that cooperates with the end of one of the side panels 13 to form a slot therebetween as seen in FIGS. 2 and 7 through which a receiving paper 41 passes. The receiving paper 41 is slightly wider than portion 39, and hence during processing, if the edges thereof engage the surfaces of cover 23 defining groove 38, the nucleated gelatin layer of receiving paper 41 in register with groove 39 will not be scratched. The ends of side panels 13 further have guide notches 42, 42' therein, as seen in FIG. 3, the width of one notch being equal to the width of a receiving paper 41 for one size film, and the width of the other notch being equal to the width of the receiving paper for a different sized film.

The wind-up roller 43 for film 30 and receiving paper 41 comprises axially aligned shaft portions 44 having spindles 45, 46 rotatably supported by side flanges 22 as seen in FIG. 5. A cylindrical plastic roll 47 has cup shaped end sleeves 48 encircling shaft portions 44, and further has a sinusoidal diametrical slot 49 extending therethrough for receiving the ends of the film 30 and receiving paper 41. A pressure roller 51, comprising a shaft 52 having end portions 53 slidably mounted in elongated slots 54 in side flanges 22, and an annular plastic sleeve 55 mounted on shaft 52, is urged by a pair of springs 56 into engagement with the periphery of wind-up roller 43. Each of the springs 56 comprises a resilient wire having its central section wound around a screw 57 in side flange 22, and further having one end bearing against bracket 24 and the opposite end nesting in an annular groove 58 in end portions 53. The wind-up roller spindle 45 has a knurled knob secured to its outer end, and spindle 46 has a gear 61 secured to its outer end. The gear 61 is enclosed within a gear housing 62 secured to one of side flanges 22, and is in meshing engagement with a gear 63 mounted on a shaft 64 supported by side flange 22 and housing 62. A crank 65 is secured to the end of shaft 64 and has a handle 66 by which crank 65 may be turned to rotate wind-up roller 43. The gear ratio selected for this particular application is approximately 8:1, requiring eight complete revolutions of crank 65 to turn wind-up roller 43 through a single revolution.

The receiving paper 41, for use in the solvent transfer process, has a light-insensitive gelatin layer having a material reactive with the transfer compound of the negative to form a visible image. The composition of the receiving paper may be of any suitable type as described in the aforementioned patents. The leading end of paper 41 has an adhesive coating covered by a liner 67 as seen in FIG. 6 for a purpose to be explained hereinafter. The receiving paper 41, which is wound in a roll in any suitable type of cassette 68, as seen in FIG. 7, is slit narrower than the film to eliminate a transfer of black edges from p the unexposed longitudinal borders on the film, and any white edges resulting from poor alignment of the film and receiving paper. This then leaves only a black bar between prints to be removed by the operator. The leading essor in one hand and pulls the backing paper ends 69, 71 of the respective receiving and backing papers 41, 30' have complementary shaped tab portions of a width approximately equal to the width of slot 49, and the tab portions terminate in square shoulders to, among other things, facilitate alignment of the end portions, limit the depth of insertion of the tab portions into slot 49, and facilitate locating the receiving paper 41 perpendicular to the axis of wind-up roller 43.

In the operation of this invention, let us assume that the operator has exposed a backed roll of film 30 designed for .a diffusion transfer process, and desires to process it. To accomplish this, the operator removes the upper section 11 of the processor and places it upside down on a table or the like as seen in FIG. 6 with the crank 65 at the operatorslefit. The roll of film 30 is mounted in the film-holding device, and the backing paper partially unwound with the black inner side thereof facing the operator. Approximately 12 inches of backing paper is pulled out and passed over the arcuate member 31, down the back of bracket 24 and out under wind-up roller 43. The operator then pulls out approximately 8 inches of the receiving paper 41 from a package or cassette, and places it on the table with its gelatin layer facing upwardly, and then places cover 23 of processor section 11 over receiving paper 41 with the back side of bracket 24 facing the cassette 68. The paper is now freely slidable in groove 35. The operator then carefully lines up the overlapping end portions 69, 71 of the respective backing and receiving papers 30', 41, strips liner 67 from the adhesive on receiving paper 41, and presses the end portions together. The operator then grasps knob 59 with his right hand and turns it until slot 49 in wind-up roller 43 appears. The operator then inserts the end portions 6-9, 71 of the respective backing and receiving papers all the way into slot 49 and holds them in with the left index finger while turning knob 59 clockwise until the end pontions 69, 71 are secured squarely between rollers 43, 5 1. The operator continues turning knob 59 until all the slack backing paper is taken up on wind-up roller 43. The operator then pours a suit-able solvent transfer processing solution into the chamber of lower section 12 of the processor, and reassembles the processing device by picking up upper section 11 and slidably inserting it into lower section 12, being careiul to align the receiving paper 41 with the proper notch 42, 42 in cover 23. In the assembled position, arcuate member 3-1 extends into the processing solution for guiding one of the papers, in this instance the backing paper and film through the solution. The operator then moves the receiving paper 41 out of groove 35, and the cassette 6 8 to the opposite side of bracket 24 from the dotted position to the full line position, as seen in FIG. 7. The operator then holds the processing device firmly with one hand, and turns the crank 65 rapidly and continuously in a clockwise direction, as seen in FIG. 1, winding the overlapped or interleaved papers on Wind-up roller 43, and causing the gelatin layer of receiving paper 41 to be urged by roller 51 into intimate contact with the prochave entered the processing device and the cassette 68 will have dropped onto the table. The operator should continue to crank for approximately 10 more seconds to complete the winding of the papers 30, 41 on wind-up roller 43. After the cranking is completed, the operator opens the processing device and discards the remaining processing solution. After approximately 2 minutes, the operator unwinds the interleaved negative and receiving paper by turning crank 65 until the end of the backing paper 30' appears, grasps the proc- 30' slowly with its outer surface facing the operator until the end of the receiving paper 41 appears. The operator then grasps the backing and receiving papers 30, 41 respectively, and pulls them out until all the prints can be observed. The receiving paper 41 is then separated from backing paper 30' and rinsed tor a few seconds under tap water, wiped with a clean, damp sponge or towel, and permitted to air-dry which normally takes only a matter of a few minutes. The individual prints appearing on receiving paper 41 may then be severed from one another.

The invention has been described in detail with particular reference to a particular embodiment thereof but it will be understood that variations and modifications can be eifected within the spirit and scope of the invention as described hereinabove and as defined in the appended claims. I i

I claim:

1. In a processing device, the combination comprising: a container adapted to contain a supply of processing solution; and a unitary member adapted to be readily inserted into and removed from said container and movable into an operative position when inserted therein, said member including a film roll holder adapted to rotatably support an exposed roll of light-sensitive film, a guide element at one end of said member and in alignment with said film roll holder and over which the film leaving said film roll is directed, and adapted in said operative position of said member to extend into the processing solution in said container for immersing said film in the solution to process the same, and a wind-up roller adjacent the opposite end of said member and in alignment with said roll holder and guide element and onto which said film is Wound after being immersed in said solution.

2. The invention according to claim 1 wherein said member has a pair of side fianges for rctatably supporting said wind-up roller, a bracket secured to said side flanges and having said guide element at one end thereof, and said film roll holder is interposed between said windup roller and said guide element and secured to said bracket.

3. The invention according to claim 2 wherein said guide element is fixed and has an arcna-te peripheral surface.

4. In a processing device, the combination comprising: a container adapted to contain a processing solution and having front and back panels of a predetermined length and side panels of a shorter length, each of and front and back panels having notches along a portion of each side thereof co-operating with a notch along the upper end of each side panel to form spaced apart guideways; and :a unitary member having side flanges slidably movable along a corresponding guideway for movement of said member into an operative position, said member in cluding a film roll holder adapted to rotatably support an exposed roll of light-sensitive film, a guide element at one end of said member and in alignment with said film roll holder over which the film leaving said film roll holder is directed, and adapted in said operative position of said member to extend into the processing solution in said container for immersing said film in the solution to proc ess the same, and a wind-up roller adjacent the opposite end of said member and in alignment with said roll holder and guide element and onto which said film is wound after being immersed in said solution.

5. In a processing device for producing photographic images from an exposed light-sensitive film, which is detachably secured to a backing paper and wound into a roll of backed film, on a receiving paper by a transfer process, the combination comprising: a container adapted to contain a supply of processing solution; and a unitary member adapted to be readily inserted into and removed from said container and movable into an operative posL ticn when inserted therein, said member including a film roll holder adapted to rotatably support an exposed roll of backed film, a wiping element over which the backed film leaving said film roll holder is directed with said backing paper in direct contact with said wiping element, and adapted in said operative position of said member to extend into the processing solution in said container for immersing said film in the solution to process the same, and wiping said backing paper to remove any wrinkles therefrom, and a wind-up roller upon which said backing and receiving papers are adapted to be wound in interleaved relation'upon rotation of said wind-up roller to bring said film and receiving paper into intimate face to face contact during such winding operation.

6. The invention according to claim 5 wherein said wiping element has a cut-out portion adjacent the backing paper into which the backing paper is wiped in the :form of a free loop.

7. The invention according to claim 5, and further including a pressure roller for urging said interleaved film and receiving paper against the periphery of said wind-up roller. 1

8. The invention according to claim 5 wherein said wiping element is fixed, and has an arcuate surface over which said backing paper passes, and a peripheral groove for guiding said backing paper-toward said wind-up roller.

9. The inventionzaccording to claim -8 wherein said processing solution container has front and rear panels, and one of said panels has a peripheral notch for guiding said receiving paper to said wind-up roller.

10. The invention according to claim 9 wherein said member has a cover having a first groove adapted to cooperate with said peripheral notch in said panel in the operative position of said member to form a slot through which said receiving paper enters said device.

11. The invention according to claim 10 wherein said cover has a second groove for guiding said receiving paper into. alignment with said backing paper prior to attaching said papers in interleaved relation to said windup roller.

12. The invention according to claim 5 wherein said member has a pair of side flanges for rotatably supporting said wind-up roller, a bracket secured to said side flanges and having said guide element at one end thereof, and said film roll holder is interposed between said wind-up roller and said guide element and secured to said bracket.

13. In a processing device for producing direct positive photographic images from an exposed light-sensitive film, which is detachably secured to a backing paper and wound into a roll of backed film, on a light-insensitive receiving paper by a transfer process, the combination comprising: a container adapted to contain a processing solution and having front and back panels of a predetermined length and side panels of a shorter length, each of said trout and back panels having notches along a portion of each side thereof co-operating with a notch along the upper end of each side panel to form spaced apart guideways; and a unitary member having side flanges slidably movable along a corresponding guideway for movement of said member into an operative position, said member including a film roll holder adapted to rotatably support an exposed roll of backed film, a fixed wiping element over which the backed film leaving said film roll holder is directed with said backing paper in direct contact with said wiping element and having an arcuate surface adapted in said operative position of said memher to extend into the processing solution in said container for immersing said film in the solution to process the same, and wiping said backing paper to remove any wrinkles therefrom, and a wind-up roller upon which said backing and receiving papers are wound in interleaved relation upon rotation of said wind-up roller for urging said film and receiving paper into intimate face to face contact during such winding operation.

14. In a processing device for producing a strip of photographic prints from an exposed light-sensitive film which is detachably secured to a backing paper and wound into a roll of back film, on a strip of receiving paper by a transfer process, the combination comprising: a container section open at one end and closed at the other to hold a supply of processing solution; a film and paper loading member adapted to be inserted into and removed trom said container and movable into an operative position when inserted thereinto, said member including a film roll holder adapted to rotatably support an exposed roll of film, a guide member over which the backed film strip leaving said roll is directed with said backing paper in direct contact with said guide member for wiping said backing paper to remove any wrinkles therefrom and immersing the light-sensitive surface of the film into said processing solution, and a wind-up roll onto which said film is wound after being immersed in said processing solution; and means for directing said strip of receiving paper onto said wind-up roll in interleaved relation with said light sensitive surfiace of said film strip where the two are held in face to face contact for a given time to eifect transfer :of the image from the processed film to said receiving paper.

15. The method of making a continuous strip of photographic prints from an exposed light-sensitive film, which is detachably secured to a backing paper and wound into a roll of backed film, on a light insensitive receiving paper lay a transfer process comprising unwinding the exposed roll of hacked film, wiping said backing paper to remove any wrinkles therefrom during said unwinding, applying a processing solution to at least the emulsion surface thereof, then winding said film and a receiving paper up on a take-up roll in interleaving relation and with the surfaces of the two in face to face contact, unwinding said film and receiving paper trom said take-up roll after a given time necessary for the processing of the film and transfer of the processed images thereon to said receiving paper, and then stripping the film and receiving paper apart.

16. The method of making a continuous strip of photognaphic prints on a strip of receiving paper from a roll of exposed light-sensitive film having a strip of backing paper detachably secured adjacent one end thereof and wound into said roll in interleaving relation with said film by a transfer process comprising unwinding said film and its backing paper fire-m said roll simultaneously guiding the film :and backing paper through a processing solution and wiping said backing paper to remove any wrinkles from the backing paper, then winding up the filrn and backing paper on a take-up roll with the strip of receiving paper interleaved with the film and pressed into intimate tface-toface contact therewith, unwinding said film, backing paper and receiving paper trom. said take-up roll latter a given time necessary for the processing of the film and transfer of the processed images thereon to said receiving paper, and then stripping the film along with its backing paper from face-to-face contact with said receiving paper.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,808,585 Wasylenko June 2, 19.3 1 2,740,717 Yutzy et al. Apr. 3, 1956 3,003,871 Land et a1 Sept. 29, 1961 

15. THE METHOD OF MAKING A CONTINUOUS STRIP OF PHOTOGRAPHIC PRINTS FROM AN EXPOSED LIGHT-SENSITIVE FILM, WHICH IS DETACHABLY SECURED TO A BACKING PAPER AND WOUND INTO A ROLL OF BACKED FILM, ON A LIGHT-INSENSIBIVE RECEIVING PAPER BY A TRANSFER PROCESS COMPRISING UNWINDING THE EXPOSED ROLL OF BACKED FILM, WIPING SAID BACK PAPER TO REMOVE ANY WRINKLES THEREFROM DURING SAID UNWINDING, APPLYING A PROCESSING SOLUTION TO AT LEAST THE EMULSION SURFACE THEREOF, THEN WINDING SAID FILM AND A RECEIVING PAPER UP ON A TAKE-UP ROLL IN INTERLEAVING RELATION WITH AND WITH THE SURFACES OF THE TWO IN FACE TO FACE CONTACT, UNWINDING SAID FILM AND RECEIVING PAPER FORM SAID TAKE-UP ROLL AFTER A GIVEN TIME NECESSARY FOR THE PROCESSING OF THE FILM AND TRANSFER OF THE PROCESSED IMAGES THEREON TO SAID RECEIVING PAPER, AND THEN STRIPPING THE FILM AND RECEIVING PAPER APART. 